Mist Maiden
by numberoneklutz
Summary: ..Revisions Completed!..Sakura Haruno is an influential Mist shinobi. She, along with her teamates OCIchigo and OCKotetsu, is unwittingly coerced into helping the Hidden Leaf Village shinobi.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys!**

**I'm going to be slowly revising this story chapter by chapter. **

**I'm just not pleased with it's current state.**

**I've actually been meaning to do this for a while now, but just never got around to it.**

**So, please bear with me. I didn't want to take the whole thing down to fix the gliches, do I'm doing this.**

**Reread if you wish, but the chapters are going to remain pretty much the same.**

**I just plan to add more details and fix grammatical errors.**

**At least that's the plan…what actually happens may be completely different.**

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**Profiles**

**Sakura Haruno**- a powerful Mist shinobi and clan leader of the prestigious Haruno Clan, which has the blood trait of controlling the wind (the clan also specializes in healing and super-strength, Sakura's grandparents taught Tsunade); she became clan leader after her parents were assassinated at the age of three. Sakura is bonded to the spirit of a shadow dragon (she is not a vessel). She became Anbu at a very young age -five- so she has a low tolerance for anything she perceives as a weakness.

**Kotetsu Jaganshi**- one of Sakura's teammates, his clan has the blood trait of telepathy and telekinesis; his older brother is the head of his clan. Kotetsu was kidnapped when he was one by a strong group of bandits who tortured him in unspeakably cruel ways when they discovered his awesome abilities (they thought it was the fastest way to make him stronger), he killed them all eventually and returned to his village becoming an Anbu at the age of ten. Though he usually maintains a impassive façade, he morphs into a sadistic, remorseless individual when he feels strong emotions. This, his teammates and family believe, is most likely a defense machinism, something he developed during his stay with the bandits.

**Ichigo Migazaki**- one of Sakura's teammates, his clan has the blood trait of controlling heat (not as corny as it sounds); his father is the head of his clan. Ichigo was constantly abused by his five older envious brothers in his early youth (Ichigo was considerably stronger than his brothers even as a toddler). He is very sarcastic and has a acidic tongue, as well as a towering mound of insecurities -the result of never being praised as a child-. Ichigo became Anbu at the same time as Kotetsu.

**Kohaku Haruno**- Sakura's younger brother (by one year); he serves as Sakura's second in command and acts as clan leader in her absence. Sakura is his idol and he strives to make her proud of him.

**Mizukage**- leader of the Hidden Mist village, acts as a father figure to Sakura, Kohaku, Ichigo, and Kotetsu. He was devastated by the death of his wife and has never really forgiven himself for her death. He-busy fighting the enemy at the village gates- wasn't there when she died protecting their Clan, something that continuously torments him.

**Kamagi Suzuku**- son of the Mizukage, he is in love with Sakura. His mother, an accomplished shinobi, died during Konoha's attack. Deeply traumatized by her death, he's developed a strong hatred for the Hidden Leaf Village. He constantly worries for the safety of Sakura; he doesn't want to lose another loved one.

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**Side Notes:**

Itachi never massacred his clan, so Sasuke maybe a OOC.

All characters are probably going to be at least a little OOC.


	2. Chapter 2

**This chapter is done!**

**I infinitely prefer this chapter to my first attempt, it flows much more smoothly.**

**I tried to add more length to this chapter since I hated the shortness of it.**

**I'm currently working on updates for my other stories as well, so don't lose hope yet.**

**That's it for now.**

**Later.**

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**Things to Know:**

_**-**_Kisame is Sakura's loyal servant.

_**-**_Tsunade starts out as a villain.

_**-**_The shinobi wars ended only five years ago.

_**-**_Sakura's team is famous and overworked.

_**-**_Itachi and Kakashi are best friends.

_**-**_Naruto is the son of the deceased Yondaime, so he is respected, rich, and arrogant.

_**-**_Neji is the heir of the Hyuuga Clan and Hinata and Hinabi are from the branch family.

_**-**_Sai is part of Team 7.

_**-**_Kakashi is not Team 7's sensei, Genma is.

_**-**_The Mist Village hates all other shinobi villages and thinks that they are hated in return.

_**-**_Gaara is the Kazekage.

**Ages to Know:**

Sakura: 17

Kotetsu, Ichigo, Gaara, and Rookie Nine: 18

Neji, Tenten, Lee: 19

Kakashi and Itachi: 22

**Disclaimer:_ I don't own Naruto, and I never will!_** **(Author runs off to mourn)**

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**Chapter One**

_Why is it that I'm **always **stuck doing paperwork on my days off? _A scowling roseate female sat behind a rich mahogany desk, cursing everyone and everything responsible for her current misery.

It was sunny damnit!

Sunny days did not happen often in Kiri, so they should be enjoyed to the fullest! So what if she was whining? She had every right to; she was being forced to spend her down time signing papers!

Well…if she were _perfectly_ honest, she didn't have _any_ free moments to spare. All the time not spent on missions was dedicated to clan business and training, leaving but a scant few hours to sleep, eat, and bathe. But, in the confines of her own mind, she enjoyed pretending she had all the time in the world for rest and relaxation.

A girl was allowed to dream wasn't she?

At least…until she was rammed with a large dose of reality.

A disgruntled Sakura viewed the towering mounds of paper with extreme dislike, willing them to burst into flames._ The more I do the more these stupid piles seem to grow._

And, of course, she _had_ to have a large office window showing her exactly what she was missing out on. _I knew stealing Kisame's sake would come back to haunt me _she grumbled _damn karma._

She glanced out the window in her study, glaring enviously at all the people frolicking outside. Okay, so maybe frolicking was an overstatement, but it sure seemed that way to the irritable clan leader.

_Look at them _she thought venomously. _How dare they be so cheerful in front of my window! _Here eyes narrowed to mere slits. _How they play and laugh while their clan leader is stuck indoors! It's unforgivable mockery!_

Maybe she was being a _tad_ bit unreasonable, but sleep deprivation and unbearably tense muscles made it impossible for her to give a damn. _What I wouldn't do for a deep tissue massage _she mused dreamily. _Followed by a long walk in the gardens and tea in the gazebo. _Yes, that would be heaven.

Nothing like the hell she was currently stuck in, a hell filled with colossal mountains of treaties and accounts that _refused _to die.

After resigning herself to a day -or days by the look of things- of torment, she reluctantly turned her attention back to her never-ending paperwork.

_That Rain village clan wants __**me**__ to settle one of their disputes? _Those guys were either very bold or _very_ stupid. After the grief they had given her over the stupid fertilizing scroll the Mizukage wanted last month, she was surprised they had the nerve to even _consider_ writing to her. _They have balls, I'll give them that. _

Despite her small concession, however, she had no intention of aiding them. Call her vengeful -and in certain aspects, she was- but she felt little inclination to help those who had wronged her. Trashing the request, deeming it unworthy of a response, she forged on. _One down _she thought in encouragement _and_ _only a couple million left to go._

And people said she was a pessimist.

At first she derived a twisted sort of pleasure from rejecting several requests for help (most from clans that had vexed her previously), but after six hours of continuous paperwork any positive thought she harbored were unceremoniously slaughtered. The laughter of the clan member that drifted in her window grated on her fraying nerves. All her tolerance for cheer -which had been little to begin with- was nearly extinct.

It was due to her darkening mood that she was currently contemplating massacring her annoyingly happy clan, in the bloodiest, most painful way imaginable.

Her muscles were tenser than ever, her fingers had cramped, _and _she was developing a monster migraine. A monster migraine that successfully thwarted all her attempts to alleviate it. _**I **_she inwardly growled through clenched teeth _**am going to **_**disembowel **_**the next person who comes through my door. **_

Unfortunately for Kotetsu, he chose that exact moment to enter murderous rosette's office. "Sakura," he said while scanning through a mission report, "we've been summoned to the …" He trailed off when, upon glancing up, he saw his teammate advancing on him with a crazed gleam in her eyes.

**"Kotetsu," **she hissed, **"so **_**kind**_** of you to visit me."**

Warning bells immediately started ringing in his head. _What pissed her off this time?_

Fearing for her sanity, and his life, Kotetsu decided to quickly relay his message. "The Mizukage has urgently requested our presence in his office."

Hearing the word 'Mizukage', her rage _slowly _dissipated. "If that's the case," she stoically replied, "what are we waiting for?" She quickly disappeared leaving her bewildered teammate wondering if it was that time of the month.

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Sakura pushed open the doors to the Tsukikage's office and discovered, to her surprise, a great number of clan leaders present. She quickly grew concerned; by nature, most clan leaders were pompous, self-serving bastards who resented being bothered with anything not directly relating to their clans.

Despite the harsh wording, this wasn't criticism, not really. Clan leaders _had_ to be unyielding and obstinate when it came to the best interests of their clan; clans with more compliant leaders, after all, were at the mercy of the Mizukage and village council.

If leaders weren't bastards, weren't arrogant assholes, their clans would soon find themselves on the short end of the political stick. They would be sent on all the worst missions, have the least consideration from all the high officials; and, with enough soft leaders, their clan would soon be nothing more than a footnote in history.

So it was understandable that most of them were downright unbearable in political situations, if they chose to involve their clans at all that is. _For this many to be here _she mused uneasily _something must be very wrong._

Her suspicions were soon confirmed.

"I," the Mist leader gravely announced, "have called you here today to share some unpleasant news." He looked around the conference table, meeting the eyes of each seated individual before continuing. "I have just received a letter from the Hokage requesting my presence in Konoha."

Sakura was _furious_. "She surely _must_ be joking," the medic growled through gritted teeth. Before she could further express her disbelief and fury, however, Kamagi decided to voice his own.

_**"How dare that fucking bitch ask us for anything! **_The nin's faced had contorted into one of ungodly rage. **_She betrayed village! Betrayed the Haruno Clan, the ones who took her in and cared for her like one of their own! _**He rose from his chair and fiercely griped the edge of the table. _**She slaughtered so many of them, including Sakura's parents, mercilessly and let several Leaf shinobi fuckers pass through our village gates! She alone is responsible for the deaths of over a hundred of our shinobis**_!"

"Kagami, _**enough**_, we are all aware of Tsunade's past actions." The Mizukage curtly reprimanded his son, "I strongly suggest you calm down if you wish to remain in this meeting."

Hatred still burning in his eyes, the young man stiffly sat down. Rash his actions may have been, but no one in the room could really fault him. They shared his hatred for Konoha and its leader; propriety alone kept them from reacting similarly.

After sending a sympathetic glance Kagami's way, Sakura returned her focus to the ongoing discussion. "What bothers me," the leader of the Nojime Clan, Shinji, was tersely saying, "is that she wants the meeting to take place in Konoha, where she has the advantage. Does the letter say anything else, Lord Mizukage?"

"Yes," Sayoran-sama signaled an aide to retrieve the missive, "the meeting is apparently going to include all the prominent kages with the supposed purpose of finding a way to eliminate a growing threat to the shinobi nations." Taking the letter from his aide with a quick word of thanks, he resumed talking. "The letter also states that I may take as many of my shinobi as I deem _necessary_."

"Why would she include us? We stood alone during the shinobi wars, and treated all of the other villages as our enemies. Besides, everyone knows that the Mist Village doesn't concern itself with the troubles of foreign villages." This was met with nods of agreement. "Nobody has ever offered us any sort of alliance, with the sole exception of the Akatsuki. This '**peaceful' **meeting is in all probability just a hoax planned to provide our enemies with an opportunity to capture our leader."

Lord Migazaki's statements were well founded in Sakura's opinion. And, as she looked around the room, she saw that the others thought so as well.

"_**Tsunade, **__the bloody whore__**, has trapped us!"**_

Minaru, the leader of the Mitzuki Clan, spat the blonde's name like a curse.

_**"**_Yes, I think it's beyond foolish to attend a meeting that is most likely a trap, but it's even more foolish not to. All of the other shinobi villages detest us. They envy our village because it contains the most powerful clans, the best healers (Harunos), and because we have little need for trade since we can supply our basic needs ourselves. They are keen on finding a reason to attack us, and not attending this meeting would present them with one."

He had a point, a very valid point. Their leader _had _to attend; not doing so would be tantamount to a declaration of war.

"Since our course is set, the only thing left to do is select my escort." Sayoran-sama seated himself behind his desk with a weary sigh. "I personally believe the wisest route would be to take a small entourage of one Anbu team. A quick escape is easier with fewer people and one team is more than sufficient for my protection."

Sakura disliked how the Tsukikage was leaving himself so vulnerable to attack, but she understood his reasoning. _I guess that walk in the gardens will have to wait a bit longer. _"Sir," _I better do this before I change my mind, "_I would like to volunteer the services of my team and Kisame to you."

A quick glance towards Kotetsu and Ichigo showed that they were in accord with her decision. It also showed that they were irritated with her. _I suppose I __**should **__have asked if they were willing first. Oh well _she thought dismissively _they'll get over it. _

"Thank you Sakura," he turned affectionate eyes towards her. "I accept your offer with open arms. Prepare your team and be sure to get plenty of sleep, who knows how long it will be until you have another chance to do so. We leave at dawn."

After wearily rubbing his eyes, Sayoran-sama dismissed them all.

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**Read and Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Man, I've been slacking off in the revision of this fic. **

**It's taken me freakishly long to get this thing done, much longer than I anticipated.**

**Well, all I can say is that I try to do a better job in the future. **

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Three formidable nin made their way down the blossoming avenue, two silently fuming about the mission a certain pink haired kunoichi had just volunteered them for.

"You know Sakura," the irate Migazaki muttered through clenched teeth, " I'm beginning to think you have a freakishly large masochistic streak."

The random comment caused said girl to turn confused eyes towards her teammate. "Really?" She tilted her head to the side. "How so?"

"All you ever seem to do is complain about our workload. You _constantly_ moan about lack of sleep, lack of relaxation time, perpetually tense muscles, and the shortage of proper meals in you life," Ichigo emphasized each point with a firm poke to her chest. "And yet," he shook his head derisively, "you never hesitate to _volunteer _for the hardest missions; never hesitate to include **us**, your socalled dearest friends, for the ride."

_"_You know what Ichigo," the pensive medic murmured, "I think that you've made a valid point for the first time in your life."

Promptly forgetting his earlier displeasure in light of this grand accomplishemt, the Migazaki, while sporting a goofy grin, warmly thanked his female companion.

"…..that really wasn't meant as a compliment," the roseate girl quietly muttered.

Fortunately for his ego, the preening male had already turned his full attention to their other teammate.

"So Kotetsu," he said amiably to the irritable male, while completely ignoring his dark scowl, "what's your take on our situation?"

"I think," he growled, "that being so freaking talented is a pain in the ass."

"Yeah right!" Chortling at the fierce glare being thrown in his direction, the irrepressible Migazaki male cheerfully continued on in his favorite hobby, aggravating the usually stoic Kotetsu. "You know you just _love_ the attention Kotetsu, _especially_ from the females." Ichigo waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Kotetsu gave off a disgusted snort. "I think you're confusing _me_ with _yourself_, man-whore." With that the Jaganshi Clan member proceeded to pointedly ignore the other male, hoping Ichigo would take the hint and leave him alone.

He should have known better.

The rest of the way to the Haruno estate was punctuated with their sarcastic commentary and, in Sakura's humble opinion, pathetic attempts at wit. Occasionally a short, violent brawl would erupt between the two when Ichigo pushed Kotetsu a little too far. The spurts of violence did nothing to deter the incorrigible Migazaki.

Despite her annoying companions, however, Sakura enjoyed the stroll through town. She noted, with an appreciative eye, that the flowers were in full bloom and that the air was, consequently, lightly scented with their fragrance. _So beautiful _she sighed in contentment, blissfully observing the natural beauty around her. It seemed she had been granted her garden walk after all.

The relative solitude of the trio, however, soon came to an end. As they drew closer to the commerce center of the village, the number of pedistrians increased in number. Pedistrians who couldn't witness the passing of their honored heroes without showering them with praise, presents, and adoration. Pedistrians who tended to be a little rough with their affections.

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Running a hand through her disheveled locks, Sakura glanced down at her teammates stylishly frayed bottoms. "I didn't notice you were wearing shorts, Ichigo."

Tenderly rubbing a section of his scalp that he highly suspected was now bald, he muttered irritably, "they were pants before we hit that mob."

They two,however, roughed up as they may be, had fared far better than Kotetsu.

The unfortunate male looked like some forsaken castaway. His clothes, once a respectable outfit consisting of sturdy pants and a nice longsleeved shirt, had been reduces to mere ribbons.

They, being the compassionate teammates they were, snickered quietly to themselves and drew solace from Kotetsu's discomfort.

_At least _they thought in good humor _we're not nearly as bad off as him._

The Jaganshi male, if the withering glare he was sending their way was any indication, did not appreciate their 'comfort'.

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Finally, after stealthily dodging several overly affectionate mobs, the three reached the Haruno Estate. _About freaking time _Sakura closed frustrated eyes. _If I had to put up with their fucking complaints one __**second**__ longer… _

Well, let's just say Kotetsu and Ichigo were lucky they had arrived.

Upon entering the front gates, however, Sakura's relief was cut short as she was immediately confronted by one of the Mist's seven legendary swordsmen, Kisame.

A Kisame who looked absolutely **furious**.

"Where the **_hell_** were you?" His tightly clenched jaw trembled with anger."You have responsibilities Sakura, you can't just take off whenever you **_feel _**like it. What if there had been an emergency?"

He thrust his face within an inch of hers"You're the _**head **_of the Haruno Clan," he snarled. Though the words were savagely spoken, Sakura noticed a flicker of fear pass through his eyes. _**"**_That title's like a fucking aphrodisiac to enemies, you should _**always **_have protection."

Kisame, finally realizing just how much he was invading her personal space, jerked back immediately. Turning his back to her in an attempt to get his emotions under control, he quietly muttered, "Just be more careful next time Pinky, we've lost enough good shinobi".

_Oh Kisame_. Sakura's heart clenched at his softly spoken admittance. She understood, probably more than anyone else, her comrade's feelings.

His clan, much like her own, had been heavily hit the day of the Leaf attack. Kisame's family specialized in water attacks, so, consequently, they had place their home near the largest river that bordered the village; this positioning had caused them to bear the brunt of the Konoha shinobi.

The clan had fought fiercely; each member, down to little six-year-old Kina, giving their all to take down as many of the fuckers as possible. The resulting casualties, however, had been substantial.

Many had been felled; the bodies so numerous that the handful of survivors had been pressed to ask for help in digging the graves. Among the dead had been Kisames wife and newly born daughter, and his baby sister Kina.

Fury seized Sakura's already vengeful heart anew at the rememberance of the utterly broken look on her surrougate brother's face. Silently, she renewed her vow to bring that _damned_ village, and all the **assholes** in it, to their knees.

Those three females had been his _entire_ world damn it!

Due to his looks, people had always been a little wary of Kisame; even his own mother, the one female who was supposed to love him unconditionally, shied away from any prolonged contact with him.

But those three never had.

His wife, the most gentle creature Sakura had ever come across, had love him with all her heart. Her soft brown eyes always shone with pure adoration whenever they gazed upon him. And their daughter, darling little Rei, had taken to her father from the very start. Her happy baby gurgles as she lay in complete contentment in her father's arms had never failed to warm the Haruno head.

And Kina, Kisame's self-proclaimed -and overprotective- guardian, had been his first love. Since the moment of her birth, she had been the swordsman's little angel; she never allowed anyone else to cuddle her, never tolerated any behavior she saw as cruel towards her older brother, and acted as Kisame's shadow whenever he was in the village. Though he had often complained about his overzealous stalker, Sakura could tell, by the smile on his face that always accompanied Kina's presence, he loved the little girl.

Ever since then, Kisame had never been the same.

He had become more gruff, almost vicious, towards other people. He no longer cared for acceptance, instead delighting in driving away those who got too close to him, be it emotionally or physically. To those who were already close, he became nearly smotheringly overprotective.

But Sakura knew, even though he carefully hid his heartache behind a façade of malicious apathy, that Kisame was still nursing his wounds. Sometimes, on the nights she found herself suffering from yet _another _case of insomnia, she would see the light on in his room in the wee hours of the morning.

And the, supposedly heartless, shinobi would be sobbing quietly while going through old photo albums. Sakura never mentioned these moments to anybody.

Her shadowed eyes took in the rigid back in front of her.

_Will we never be free? _Emerald eyes darkened. _Will we always think back to __**that**__ day at the slightest provocation?_

She carefully shielded her emotions and forced a light tone into her voice before addressing her comrade. "Did you miss me that much Kisa-kun?"

Not appreciating her teasing, he grumbled, "As much as I'd miss food poisoning."

Brushing off his comment, Sakura replied breezily, "Well since you apparently can't _stand _to be separated from me, you'll be overjoyed to know you'll be coming with me on my next mission."

"Hold on just a _damn _minute-"

Completely ignoring his protests she continued. "We leave tomorrow morning. So," she suggested with a suspiciously innocent smile, "you'd better start packing".

And with that, she walked off, leaving an indignant shark-man behind_Now the only one left to tell is Kohaku…something tells me he's not going the be very happy._

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After scouring the Haruno complex for about an hour, she finally found her elusive brother. He was in the southernmost garden attempting to form an unruly bush into the shape of a falcon, his favorite animal. She was, unfortunately, ignorant about the latter.

"That," she said with -obviously fake- awe, "is one handsome bear."

"…….it's suppose to be a falcon."

Sakura flinched. _Well…so much for buttering him up. _She should have remembered that her brother was about as artistic as a senile tortoise with arthritis.

"Well," she said in an attempt to recover from her blunder, "in that case, it's a very nice falcon."

Kohaku wasn't buying it. "That's got to be your most pathetic attempt at buttering me up to date." He raised a questioning brow, "So when are you leaving?"

She turned startled eyes towards him. "How did you know I was leaving?"

"Please," he scoffed while rolling his eyes. "Every time you leave, you try to soften the blow by being nauseatingly nice. Besides," he added almost as an afterthought,"Ichigo already told me you volunteered to escort Sayoran-sama."

Sakura's eyes turned murderous. _Ichigo_ she thought serenely _will soon die a horribly painful death at the hands of a mysterious killer. _

A suitable punishment decided on, she turned back to her brother, a loving smile already in place. "Your not upset?"

He waved off her concern. "Of course not. The Mizukage is the most important person in this village, if anybody should protect him it's you and your team. After all," he turned affectionate eyes toward her, "you guys _are_ the best."

She shook her head in pleased disbelief. "Have I ever told you that you're the best little brother in the world?"

"Yes," he replied with a warm smile, "you have."

"You," she said fondly, "are a mouthy brat."

A smile was her only response.

Sibling exchange over, she got down to business.

"We're leaving tomorrow morning at daybreak" she said briskly, "You're in charge when I'm gone. There are several reports that have to be finished, requests to answer, meetings to attend, leaders to pacify, the list of chores is endless so you better not slack off in my absence."

"So…pretty much the same thing as always?"

"I'm afraid so."

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…**there's not much left to say.**

**Until next time.**

**Later.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Yet another chapter in my ongoing quest to better this fic completed!**

_**HELL YEAH!!!**_

**The story is beginning to pick up. Don't worry Tsunade lovers she won't be a villain _forever_.**

**Enjoy the story!**

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**Special thanks to:**

**TheAngelofRevenge14, for being the only one to review my revised chapters. **

**This chapter's for you!**

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As the first rays of sun touched the earth, five fleeting shadows could barely be seen making their way through the fog shrouded forest.

They traveled in complete silence, even going as far as muffling the soles of their feet with chakra.

Their meticulous caution was not due entirely to paranoia; they were just simply in the habit of not drawing unnecessary attention to themselves.

Mist nins, as a necessary adaptation, were not a common sight outside of the Water Country; in fact, they had scarcely been seen outside their homeland the past fourteen years.

That did not mean they _didn't _venture out, they were just extremely adept at blending in when they did.

This proficiency was a skill the shinobi of the Mist had developed out of sheer necessity; if they hadn't…if they hadn't there would be _nothing_ of Kirigakure left but memories.

During the bloody nine-year war between the shinobi nations, Kirigakure had found itself completely without allies and surrounded by a multitude of hostile countries.

So, in order to avoid being demolished by the opposing forces enclosing them on all sides, the warriors of the village had taken to infiltrating the ranks of the enemy and destroying them from the inside out.

The fucking idiots never knew what hit them. Due to either utter stupidity or their blind trust, the other shinobi never realized the enemy had penetrated their defenses until it was too late.

In this way, Kiri, with its much smaller numbers, was able to survive; survive a war they didn't even start.

The practice had also resulted in the Mist Village possessing large quantities of forehead protectors and shinobi uniforms of various rank of the other hidden villages; articles it used to slip in and out of other countries, and their hidden villages, undetected.

A clever, and often necessary, deception.

However, they were not currently in disguise; no, now, for the first time in over a decade, a squad of mist nin ventured outside their village gates in full Kiri regalia.

Though this was a momentous occasion that ought to have filled their hearts with pride, the divergence from standard Mist protocol left them feeling a little exposed, resulting in an increase in their stealthiness.

"I'm _hungry_."

Of course, the silence enshrouding the group _had _to be shattered by Ichigo.

Sakura threw an annoyed look his way. "Didn't you_ just _eat half an hour ago?"

"_I_ didn't." The whining man glared his male teammate. "Kotetsu, the fat lard, ate _my_ share!"

Said nin was suspiciously quiet, completely ignoring the inquiring glances Sakura sent his way.

_Why _the vexed medic wondered _are all men such __**idiots**_

"Fine," the roseate female huffed in exasperation before stopping to root through her pack. "I'll give you something, if just so you'll _shut up_."

Taking advantage of the medic's turned back, Ichigo flashed Kotetsu a triumphant smirk, knowing that the telepath/telekinetic was getting jealous of the attention Sakura was giving him.

His moment of victory, however, ended abruptly when an energy bar suddenly conked him on the head, courtesy of an irritated Sakura.

"Next time," she grumbled in annoyance, "be more protective of your food."

The smug look Kotetsu gave him afterwards did nothing to improve Ichigo's suddenly sour mood.

It was going to be a _long_ trip for Ichigo.

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The Hidden Leaf Village was fast approaching, and the cherry blossom of the Mist couldn't stop the consequent disgust she felt from showing on her face.

_This _she thought with absolute hatred _is going to be hell._

How the _**fuck** _was she going to manage being civil to all the shit-heads in that pathetic crap-heap of a village?

Short of killing herself, she could see no feasible way.

Sayoran-sama noticed the look on her face and decided, wisely, to stop any future complications before they began.

He flared his chakra slightly to catch the group's attention, and then proceeded to deliver his newest command.

"While we are here I want you four to refrain from violence." His hard gaze brooked no argument, killing all their unvoiced protests. "I'm sure I don't have to remind all of you that we are completely without allies here, so it would be suicidal of us to challenge the leaf shinobi."

Kisame's eyes flared up in fury. "But they're _**assholes**_! What I wouldn't give to have just _one_ minute against those leaf fuckers." His face took on a sadistic tinge of pleasure, "The _anguish_ I could cause…"

"Yeah," Sakura's caustic voice cut in, "before being swiftly killed by one of them before your minute was even up."

The swordsman whipped his livid face in her direction, "What the _fuck_ are you trying to sa-!"

"_Don't_," she warned through clenched teeth, interrupting his angry exclamation, "be stupid."

Breathing deeply to prevent from lashing out at Kisame, who wasn't even the real cause of her rage, she continued in a calmer tone. "The Leaf may be full of bastards," she looked her surrogate brother dead in the eye, "but they're _not_ weaklings."

"Exactly," the Mizukage agreed in a guarded voice, "so we must exercise extreme caution once we step into that village."

Sakura's companions, Kisame in particular, did not seem happy about their newest order. They would all, however, obey it; they'd be fools not to.

_Why _the medic wondered _do I have such a sense of impending doom?_

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Upon reaching the village gates, they discovered that they were not the only ones just arriving. The infamous Kazekage, and his anbu escort, were there as well.

_Great _emerald eyes narrowed in annoyance _just _**fucking** _great, even __**more**__ assholes to deal with._

The sand leader -as if sensing her thoughts- trained his unwavering gaze upon them as soon as they came within his viewing range.

He carefully scrutinized each of them, seemingly evaluating every person in their group, for what purpose Sakura could not fathom. At first she patiently, well…with relative patience, bore his assessing eyes; but, after five minutes of this treatment, she was fed up.

Pining the redhead with a chilling glare, she asked in a deceptively polite -yet subtly biting- tone, "Do you make a habit of staring at people? Or," she lifted a slender brow, "are we just _that _special?"

She knew she had probably just insulted the Kazekage -if the glares of the anbu protecting him were any indication-, revered leader of Konoha's main ally, but she couldn't bring herself to care.

They were here not because they wanted to, but because they were _obligated_ to; they really only had to be moderately civil to the host village to keep themselves alive.

If the other villages wanted them to be pleasant, too _fucking _bad. They should have just left them the fuck alone.

Seeing no forthcoming response to her inquiry, she dismissed the redhead's presence; all the while studiously ignoring the reprimanding look the Mizukage was sending her way.

_It's not my fault that bastard's an asshole _she thought defensively.

Her actions justified satisfactorily, she moved to stand closer to her leader, completely unrepentant.

Sayoran-sama shot her a displeased glare and she, in turn, answered with a sunny grin. Huffing lightly in exasperation at her insolence, his glare, nonetheless, softened and a wry grin tugged at the corners of his mouth.

_I knew he wasn't really mad _the kunoichi though smugly. _He hates them just as much as I do._

Several minutes had passed since her comment to the sand shinobi, so she was a little surprised when the Kazekage answered her -_suppose_ to be rhetorical- question.

"I," he replied in a casual monotone, "do usually evaluate all shinobi I come across." The sand leader once again focused his assessing eyes on their group.

"I like to know of all existing worthy opponents, it makes identifying all threats," his gaze became more pointed, "much easier."

"But in your case," the redhead conceded, "you could say you're special. _Seeing_ a mist shinobi is, after all, a rare occurrence."

The underlying implication in his statement made Sakura bristle. _How dare that __**fucker**_viridian eyes struggled to hide their burning rage. _He has __**no**__ right to judge the Mist's integrity; it's not our fault Sand was too damn stupid during the war to notice we'd infiltrated their village._

After taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm the fury coursing through her veins, she leveled indifferent eyes on him before replying.

"Yes," she amiably agreed, "it's a pity so few shinobi exist that are skilled enough to detect a Kiri nin." She shrugged her shoulders dismissively, "I can't really complain though, that inadequacy in other nins never fails to make our job easier."

The barb, innocently coated in the guise of friendly conversation, didn't miss its mark.

Jade eyes, formerly so tranquil, flared in sudden anger.

"I," he threatened in a low growl, "would watch my words more carefully if I were you."

"I'm afraid Kazekage-same," she returned with -entirely insincere- surprise, "that I have absolutely _no_ idea what you're talking about."

Gaara, never one for games, was quickly reaching his boiling point.

"_**You bit-" **_forcibly cutting himself short, the Kazekage struggled to recover his composure.

The amused kunoichi viewed his conflict in barely repressed glee.

Judging by the looks on his companions' faces, Sakura determined that the Kazekage normally didn't lose his cool so quickly.

_If all foreign shinobi are __**this**__ touchy _she thought with malicious mischief sparkling in her emerald depths _this trip just may not be so bad. After all _she reasoned _Mizukage-sama surely can't deny me the right to self-defense._

The possibility of further conversation -and any more opportunities for her to push Gaara's buttons- was cut off by the opening of the Konoha gate.

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All the villagers present stared openly at the group making its way to Hokage Tower…more specifically the Mizukage and his entourage.

In spite of her efforts to block them out, Sakura could make out snippets of their whispers…_those are the shinobi from the Hidden Mist Village…they look so heartless!…they say mist shinobi hate everyone, __**especially**__ us…it's said that a single member of their anbu could destroy an entire squad of leaf anbu…I hope they become our allies_.

She couldn't help but snort at the last one. _Allies? _she inwardly scoffed at their idiocy. _Sure _a derisive glint appeared in her eyes _that'll happen…as soon as hell freezes over._

Despite her mockery of them, however, something about their demeanor bothered her.

Sakura surreptitiously glanced at the gossiping civilians out of the corner of her eye, a slight frown marring her smooth forehead. _What the __**hell**__ is up with these villagers?_

Aside from a healthy dose of wariness, the townspeople seemed relatively at ease with their presence. A circumstance that was confusing the fuck out of the medic.

The civilians in her own village would not be as remotely receptive as the ones here. Kiri villagers had a deeply ingrained hatred for foreigners, _especially_ any that hailed from other hidden villages.

Any visiting party there would be promptly assaulted by a vicious mob to the point of death…and that was _without_ considering hostile Mist shinobi.

_Could the war have left them brain damaged? _

That was the only explanation the puzzled kunoichi could come up with. This type of behavior just wasn't normal.

Deciding to hold off pondering over the mystery for another time, preferably when _not_ in enemy territory, she turned her attention to her fellow Kiri nin.

Their stances were tense and their faces were unreadable, impenetrable masks.

Kisame had a firm grip on his sword, tense arm ready to draw it at a moments notice. He stood tall, his proud stance daring anyone to challenge him.

Ichigo pooled the necessary chakra in his arms to activate his blood trait, unconsciously raising the temperate in his immediate by several degrees. Waves of heat danced over his fingertips, bathing his hands in a bloody red glow.

The faint outline of an Egyptian eye could barely be seen on Kotetsu's forehead, signaling that he too was fully prepared to unleash his blood trait at the first hint of battle. Half-lidded eyes darted continuously before him, on constant alert for the slightest indication of treachery.

Sayoran-sama, despite his earlier words, was also prepped for combat. Their leader -renowned for his mastery over water dragon style jutsus- had his chakra drawn to just below the surface of his skin, willing to disobey his own order if presented with any form of danger.

_Despite Mizukage-sama's command, they are __**all**__ prepared to kill if threatened. _Letting the merest trace of a sardonic smile to grace her lips, she inwardly shook her head fondly. _Why am I not surprised?_

So, choosing to follow their example, she channeled her own chakra to her limbs while subtly checking all her weapon spots. _If you can't beat them _she thought with an inward shrug _join them._

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The sand shinobi that had been traveling ahead of them the entire way to the Hokage tower had shown no indication that they even remembered they were there.

Except for, Sakura noted with amusement, their sweaty palms.

_Their probably still throwing a little hissy fit over my treatment of their precious Gaara-sama _she sneered at the thought. _Who knew sand shinobi could be so emo?_

Despite their huffiness with her, however, -all of them- except for the Kazekage, seemed to be uneasy with her and her companions boring holes into their backs.

She supposed that they _could_ do the mature thing and stop…but scaring them shitless helped pass the time, _and_ it was fun.

Finally, just as Sakura was wondering if the freaking building was even in the damn village, they reached the tower.

At their arrival, several masked Leaf Anbu materialized before them.

Inclining their head politely, one of the figures addressed them. "We will be the ones to lead you to the meeting room."

Their purpose stated, they surrounded both groups and ushered them in.

_This is it _feral emerald darkened. _Time to face Tsunade._


	5. Chapter 5

�

**Wooohoooooooo!**

**This chapter's DONE!**

**Sorry for the almost scary enthusiasm, but I just so freaking happy that this thing is _finally_ done.**

**I still have a few more chapters to go before I can update this fic.**

**And, for anyone reading my revisions, an update for _Forgive and Forget? _is coming soon.**

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Absolute silence rang in the room upon their entry. _Well_ the pinkette thought scathingly _don't __**everyone**__ greet us at once. _

Geez, with the cautious stares all the room's occupants were giving them, one would think they were the fucking plague or something.

Though, she mused, upon closer perusal of her and her comrade's clothing, they did look a_ tad _bit threatening. The Mizukage, dressed in the formal robes of his station, emitted a regal, deadly air. His sharp, penetrating, eyes surveyed every presence in the room, cutting through facades like butter. 

She and the others, decked out in Kiri mission gear that hadn't been used outside the village in years, didn't look too shabby either.

The outfits, unlike typical shinobi uniforms, consisted mainly of black and were individualized for each wearer.

They were made up of, black cloth trousers tucked in black traditional shinobi sandals, black sleeveless turtlenecks, black fingerless gloves, and black long sleeved trench coats. 

The family crests on the back of their coats (a dark red Egyptian eye for Kotetsu; the outline of a shark bite in dark green for Kisame; a dark purple flame for Ichigo; a silver star of David with a comet-like figure in the bottom right corner and the upper left corner for Sakura) stood proudly in stark contrast to the background of black.

Their headbands, worn around their necks, coupled with their uncommon coloring (Kotetsu with dark purple hair and golden brown eyes, Kisame with shark like features and blue skin, Ichigo with forest green hair and silvery-blue eyes, and Sakura with short bubblegum pink hair and shimmering emerald-green eyes), and the hate radiating off their forms, added to their _slightly_ sinister look.

Hell, who was she kidding?

They looked like badasses, and they were fucking _proud_ of it. 

_Take a good look assholes _cold viridian pools of malice became mere slits _because this is the only occasion you'll be able to do so without fear of death. _

Finally, after several moments of utter quiet, the Godaime deemed it time to speak.

"Welcome Mizukage." She offered the Mist leader a hesitant smile. "I've been looking forward to seeing you again." Tsunade's warm greeting, saturated in -Sakura's opinion- insincerity, left a bad taste in the Kiri kunoichi's mouth.

_What a __**fucking**__ load of bullshit_. Narrowed emerald viewed the blonde woman with disgust, her hands -faintly shaking in repressed fury- clenched into white-knuckled fists. _Just who the __**fuck **__does that bitch think she's joking?_

Did Tsunade honestly believe they'd buy the crap she was shoveling out?

If so, the Leaf fucker was more foolish than she had previously thought.

Hate bubbling under a deceptively passive exterior, the rosy haired female trained a fury filled glare -the gesture just subtle enough to escape detection- on the Leaf's pathetic excuse of a kage.

Now that she was in the presence of her most hated enemy, Sakura could barely restrain her chakra from viciously lashing out at the backstabbing whore. 

What right had the bitch to power and prosperity?

What right had she to any semblance of respect and admiration?

She had _none_…not after what she had done.

A quick glance at her teammates showed that they mirrored her sentiments.

The Mizukage, noting their murderous intent, shot them a quelling glance. _Now_ his eyes fiercely told them _is __**not**__ the time for our revenge_.

Conceding, for the moment, to her leader's unspoken demand, Sakura reigned in her murderous rage. _Tsunade_ the rosette thought with a snarl _you are one __**lucky **__motherfucker._

Unaware that an attempt on her life had just been adverted, the Godaime raised an authoritative hand and brought the meeting to an official start. 

Then, after everyone was seated, the bitch revealed the reason for the gathering.

"I called you here today to discuss a common threat," the blonde's features morphed into a solemn cast. "We have received reports that the Akatsuki and the Sound Village have formed an alliance," a dark look flitted through her hazel eyes as quiet gasps rang threw the conference room. "I'm sure I don't have to remind you of how dangerous these two are on their own, bu-" 

Surprisingly enough, Sayoran-sama -stickler for all forms of proper behavior- calmly interrupted her. "With all due respect Lady Hokage," Sakura noted with satisfaction the mocking tinge with which he coated her title, "I thought you said _common_ threat." 

The female leader opened her mouth to protest -or perhaps question-, but the Mizukage -blatantly ignoring the gesture- forged on. "The Akatsuki and Sound Village have yet to cause _us_ any problems. They are, in fact, valuable trading partners."

" So," he gave the blonde an apologetic smile, "unless you have something of worth to offer the Mist Village we have no reason to jeopardize our ties with such profitable allies."

Sayoran-sama's statement sent a shockwave throughout the room. The stunned occupants were completely floored, unable to comprehend what they had just heard. Tsunade, looking more than a little unsettled, attempted to reason with him.

"You _can't_ trust them Mizukage," hazel pools earnestly beseeched him. "They are honorless and ruthless shinobi who will not hesitate to turn on you at the first opportunity. You won-"

Tsunade was _again_ interrupted, but this time by Sakura…whose flaming emerald eyes _**burned**_ with rage. _**"You," **_she growled through clenched teeth, _**"are one to talk." **_Her words, softly spoken, held a barely veiled threat.

**"We," **the furious kunoichi continued, **"complied with your command and presented ourselves here, in spite of the fact that it is in the midst of shinobi who brutally slaughtered many of our comrades." **

Flashing emerald pinned the cringing Leaf kunoichi, **"We've restraining ourselves from killing you, even though you fucking betrayed our **_**entire **_**village. We," **she continued in a cold whisper, **"listened to your attempts at convincing us to kill the closest things we have to allies and only **_**politely**_** declined your offer to join you."**

**"This -as insulting as it may have been- would have been okay, but then you **_**had**_** to go accuse them of being traitors **_**damn **_**hypocrite. **_**Traitors**_**," **an ugly laugh, completely devoid of humor, erupted from her throat, **"coming from you that's **_**fucking**_** ironic." **Sakura all but snarled the last words out, glaring at Tsunade in pure, unadulterated hate.

Silence once again pervaded the room.

Noticing with a detached concern the dark looks on the Leaf shinobi, the Kiri leader couldn't help a small sardonic smirk. _Life_ he thought fondly _is never dull with Sakura around. _

Deciding it wise to attempt to somewhat salvage the situation -even though he fully agreed with the Haruno and had derived dark glee from her verbal attack on the Godaime- , Sayoran-sama firmly, but is a neutral and diplomatic tone, delivered his decision, "I do believe you have our answer Hokage."

The blonde received both the lashing and the decision with a guilt-ridden heart. _Sakura _tender emotions for her former pupil combated with hurt and righteous anger _I wish you knew the truth behind my actions…the real reason for my betrayal_. 

Tsunade let out a heavy sigh, "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this." Hardening her features, she sharply called out, "Guards!"

Upon hearing her call, the mist shinobi tensed and prepared for battle, expecting the worst from the treacherous -in their eyes- kage. The guards, however, didn't attack them…they were too busy dragging in a body. 

A body of a _Mist_ shinobi.

Before anybody could stop him, before anyone even _thought _of stopping him, Kisame crossed the distance separating him from the Godaime. His face twisted in unholy rage, he wrapped murderous hands around her neck and, lifting her several inches off the ground, proceeded to brutally strangle the woman.

The leaf shinobi -already enraged at the Kiri nins' disrespect towards their leader- leapt to their feet, fully prepared to kill the swordsmen…_and_ his companions.

All shinobi in the room stiffened and subtly prepped for the battle they sensed on the horizon, bloodshed seemed inevitable.

"Stop." A weak murmur from Tsunade, however, effectively averted the crisis.

The Mizukage -keenly aware of how grossly outnumbered their small force was- followed her example. "_Kisame_," his brusque command, lined with steel, gained the man's immediate compliance. 

After unceremoniously sending the faint Hokage crashing to the floor, Kisame wiped his hands off disgustingly on his pants and made his way back to the others.

The felled blonde -quickly attended to by Konoha nins- spent several moments clutching her abused throat, feebly coughing in an attempt to regain her breath.

Sakura watched in sadistic delight. _I _she resolutely vowed _am going to buy Kisame that sword kit he's been wanting as __**soon **__as we get back home_. 

When the Godaime finally regained her breath, she turned to face them. "_We_ didn't do this to him," she stated, features set solemnly and eyes shining in sincerity.

Sayoran-sama looked at the disheveled female and scoffed inwardly. _You picked the wrong crowd to try that expression on woman. _

Completely unmoved, the Mizugake replied, "_I_ know that," he sent a reprimanding look Kisame's way. "If there had been even the slightest doubt in my mind, I wouldn't have stopped Kisame." 

Cold fury radiating off him, the Kiri kage continued, "What I want to know," he frostily demanded, "is _who _did."

Tsunade viewed the murderous expressions on the Mist nin with grim satisfaction. _Regardless of how they feel about us, they will not let such a transgression go unpunished._

The leaf kunoichi answered, fully aware that her next words insured the downfall of a certain organization.

"The Akatsuki."


	6. Chapter 6

**Dum, Dum, Dum, Another one bites the dust!**

**Sorry for that random line but I'm feeling a little chipper about revising another chapter.**

**Yay me!**

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A deafening silence filled the room after the Hokage's declaration, everyone waiting with held breaths for the Kiri shinobis' reactions. 

Said shinobi, disregarding the room's occupants and their silence, quickly approached the body. The ghastly sight that greeted them caused them to tremble in unadulterated rage. 

The butchered corpse was that of a young academy student, a little boy who appeared to be no older than seven. His body -to their increased fury- displayed obvious signs of torture. 

All the bones in the body were shattered; the fingers and toes crudely severed. The skin had been completely removed in various places and his entire torso was scorched. Empty sockets peered up at them blindly and a removed tongue was pinned mockingly on his chin with a senbon in a morbid impersonation of a beard. 

The most heart-wrenching aspect, however, was the sheer terror prevalent on the boy's features. His mouth was permanently twisted into a silent scream. His sightless eyes were wide-open in fright, the remnants of tears still visible on his cheeks. 

The occupants of the room noted, with a bit of trepidation, the darkening auras surrounding the Mist shinobi.

Rage was quickly overpowering Sakura. The Akatsuki, a comrade of Kiri, had done the unforgivable; they had viciously and mercilessly slaughtered a _child _of their village.

_**Those sick, **_**fucking ****_bastards _**Sakura thought darkly_** will regret the day they crossed us**_. 

She _hated_ traitors with every fiber of her being, and the Akatsuki's act had just banished every trace of her good will towards them. 

They were now the enemy.

Despite the grim circumstances, however, Sakura could not help feeling the thrill of anticipation. 

She was _finally_ being presented with the opportunity to obliterate those who betrayed the Mist Village, traitors who were not protected with the title of Kage or by an understood peace treaty. 

_It's about __**fucking**__ time _emerald glittered in savage contentment. _The world has screwed Kiri over enough, it's __**our**__ turn_. 

Sakura's fellow villagers echoed her sentiments.

"The Akatsuki," the stony eyes of the Mizukage shone with suppressed malice, "will pay for their transgression with _death_. Our village will avenge the death of this child. His blood," the kage's deceptively calm declaration was interlaced with an unwavering promise, "_will_ be repaid." .

In the silence that followed, Tsunade seized the opportunity to repeat her petition for their cooperation. "We now share a common enemy Mizukage. Will you help us put an end to the Akatsuki?"

Sayoran-sama silently assessed her and the other shinobi around him. 

True, the Hidden Village of the Leaf and its allies _would_ make defeating the Akatsuki easier, but he didn't trust them and was hesitant to ally his village with them. 

The fact that his fellow villagers would sooner kill foreign shinobi, especially Leaf shinobi, than aid them in any way also made him averse to forming an alliance with the other villages.

_It seems _he mused _that my decision has already been made._

After another moment of quiet reflection, he responded. "My apologies, but I decline your offer." 

The unexpected response elicited shock in the Hokage and her comrades. 

"The Mist Village _will_ fight the Akatsuki," he assured them, "but we will do so independently. We are adequately armed and possess sufficient shinobi to pose a threat to the Akatsuki on our own. We require no assistance and," he added with a genial smile, "I am confident you and your allies will fair well without us."

The Kiri kage surveyed the room, subtly trying to gauge the reactions of the foreign shinobi clans. As he expected, the prominent Konoha clans were _not_ happy.

His assessing eyes met the startled -and hostile- glares of the clan heads. Though everyone was affronted by his refusal of Konoha's assistance, he detected the strongest enmity from the leaders and heirs of the Uchiha, Uzumaki, Hyuuga, Aburame, Nara, Inuzuka, and the Hatake.

They, it seemed, had taken his rejection of the Leaf's offer personally; had seen his gesture as a belittlement of their clans' strengths.

_I _he thought with a wry smile _appear to have made several friends._

Though he put up a good front, the numerous eyes boring into him made him uncomfortable. He would, however, never admit or show his discomfort, even under the threat of death.

The Kazekage, who had been quiet up to this point, deemed it time to add his own input. 

"Death," merciless jade eyes bore into the Kiri nin, "is the only fate that awaits you should you be so foolish as to attack alone. Is the idea of allying yourself with us," he swept an arm over the congregated shinobi, "so detestable that you prefer your own demise?" 

Gaara's comments did nothing to lessen the tense atmosphere that was rapidly overtaking the room.

Sakura viewed the hostile occupants of the room with wary eyes, viewing with concern the multitude of nin's subtly preparing for battle. _Things_ she thought in trepidation _are getting ugly in here_. She grit her teeth in anger. _I __**knew**__ coming to Konoha was a fucking mistake_. 

Clearing her mind of all distracting emotions, the rosy haired kunoichi quickly scanned the room for the closest escape route. _We need to get the hell out of here _emerald narrowed in determination. _There are too many of these damn bastards for us to take out_.

Quickly becoming frustrated -and irritated- at the lack of accessible exits, she chanced a glance at her companions. She fervently hoped one of them was having better luck than she was.

They, however, proved to be completely useless at the moment. All their attention was currently focused on neutralizing any and all possible threats to the Mizukage. Under normal circumstances, Sakura would commend their dedication, but right now she was cursing their stupidity.

_Those __**idiots**_The aggravated kunoichi barely restrained herself from lashing out at the morons she called teammates. _Don't they realize how __**fucking**__ badly we're outnumbered_? Her hands clenched into white-knuckled fists. _Don't they fucking realize that there's no way in __**hell**__ we can fight _**and** _protect Sayoran-sama? _

Judging from their resolute expressions, they apparently didn't.

Weighed down by the knowledge that she was seemingly the only one who was aware of the danger they were in, she frantically attempted to piece together a strategy that would ensure their safe escape.

_How the __**fuck**_she wondered _am I going to get us out of this one?_

Sakura's harried mind alternated between raging at her comrades, planning their escape route, cursing everyone in the room, defending the Mizukage, and protecting herself from possible attacks at a dizzying pace.

_If we run along that wall_…_fucking Kotetsu and his __**fucking**__ bloodlust_…_that table looks sturdy enough_…_I hope everyone in Konoha __**burns**__ in hell_…_we'll need to break that window cleanly to avoid injury_…_that chair can be used to break the window_…_are those _kunais _in that guy's hands?_…

Her train of thought -in all its rambling glory- was abruptly shattered when a senbon was thrown at Kisame. That was all that was needed for the building tension to erupt into hell.

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Worry lines seemed permanently etched onto Kohaku's face.

More and more reports were flooding in about Akatsuki attacks on their trade routes and trading partners. Mist shinobi streamed into the village daily with horrific tales of the Akatsuki torturing the inhabitants of their trade villages. 

The stories of the atrocities committed made the blood of even the most bloodthirsty shinobi veterans run cold.

The young Haruno ran weary hands over his haggard face. _Things are getting bad _pale green eyes darkened in trepidation. _**Really**__ bad_. 

The situation had escalated to the point that all Mist shinobi were now being recalled to the village. The looming threat of the Akatsuki had the village on edge. 

No one wanted to be caught off guard again.

Battle preparation had only increased when scouts of the Haruno Clan reported hearing from various, reliable sources that the Akatsuki planned to mount an attack on the Hidden Mist Village during the Mizukage's absence. 

_Sakura_ Kohaku ran a frustrated hand through his scarlet locks _I need you_.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey ya'll! I'm back from the dead.**

**I know I've been an unforgivably horrible author, what with my long hiatus and all.**

**In my defense, however, boxing season was more hectic than I could have imagined.**

**Any free time I had left over was dedicated to making up schoolwork and tests.**

**The traveling, and my subsequent absences from school, made it difficult to keep up with schoolwork.**

**All that, however, is OVER!**

**WHOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!!**

**So, with my newfound free time, I will now get cracking on updates.**

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Itachi surveyed the room in disgust, repulsed by the lack of disicipline the high level shinobi around him were displaying.

The 'noble' delegates from the shinobi villages had resorted to violence.

The result?

_Utter_ chaos.

Sand was fighting Leaf, Leaf was fighting Grass, Grass was fighting Rain, and the cycle continued endlessly with all shinobi fighting mindlessly with no concrete enemy; this was, of course, with the notable exception of the Kiri nin.

The Mist shinobi, who considered _everyone_ an enemy, had formed a protective barrier around their Mizukage. Their faces held unflinching focus, unwilling to allow harm anywhere near their leader.

Though he was reluctant to admit it, they were currently doing an impressive job of repelling all attacks. _It seems_ he mused _that what they lack in manners they make up for in combat_.

Despite great hesitancy to, he also grudgingly acknowledged that the Kiri shinobi outclassed a good number of the Leaf's elite. The Mist fighters seamlessly moved from opponent to opponent, never pausing and never leaving an opening long enough for the enemy to attack.

Over all, it was an awe worthy display of their combat prowess.

This budding respect for their skills, however, did not mean he was even remotely near forming the faintest semblance of respect for them as individuals. They, in his mind, were little more than shinobi barbarians; _especially_ after the blatant disrespect they had shown earlier towards all of them.

_I may not like them _the Uchiha heir inwardly admitted _but I wouldn't mind sparring against them_.

In spite of his interest in the impressive techniques being used in the fray, however, he quickly grew irritated with the pointless demonstrations of strength.

_What __**fools**_dark eyes glittered in annoyance. _Have they forgotten that the purpose of this meeting was to __**band **__together?_

How the _hell _were they going to fight Akatsuki and Sound when they were too busy fighting each other?

Apparently, no one had stopped to ponder this. _If they had _he thought bitingly _I wouldn't be in this position_. So, with a disgusted grunt, Itachi began searching for sane, trustworthy shinobi to aid him in stopping the madness.

Actually, if one was to be technical about it, it wasn't so much searching for individuals as it was locating the ones he already had in mind. He, after all, didn't trust just_ anyone _to fight by his side.

So, purpose in mind, the Uchiha heir carefully made his way through the room, skillfully avoiding the various bodies and blows that continuously rained upon him.

Fortunately, as he made his treacherous trek across, he found himself meeting the steady gaze of the currently pacifistic Hyuuga heir, Neji.

"Hyuuga," he acknowledged with a curt inclination of his head, "where are the others?"

Neji, after mirroring his greeting, gestured towards the fray. "Uzumaki and his fellow idiots are somewhere in that mess having," he added with a long-suffering sigh, "if the dopey grins they're wearing are any indication, the time of their lives."

Fighting back the grin that statement provoked, Itachi -with amusement shining in his obsidian eyes- further questioned the Hyuuga.

"Gaara and Kakashi?"

Neji smirked and pointed towards the room's southernmost corner.

_Why_ the raven haired man wondered as he pinpointed their location _am I not surprised?_

The two mentioned shinobi, completely oblivious to their surroundings, were calmly enjoying cups of sake at a small table while playing a game of shogi.

"Typical." Itachi snorted as he viewed the two. Their customary indifference towards situations that did not directly concern them was as unwavering as ever.

Sharing a look of amused resignation, Neji and Itachi swiftly made their way to the other two, more than ready to end the senseless mayhem.

What Itachi failed to notice, however, was that he was straying a little too close to the battle frenzied Mist warriors during his journey.

A mistake that would yield _very _interesting results.

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_I'm going to slowly torture the _**bastard**_who threw that senbon. _

The thought of vengeance was one of the few comforting thoughts the kunoichi currently possessed. _The torture_ she thought with gritted teeth as yet _another_ volley of kunais hit her _is going to go on for __**days**_.

Despite her heartening thoughts, however, the inescapable nature of her present situation was not lost on her. _I can't dodge _she acknowledged with furrowed brows _or the Mizukage might be harmed, and I can't go after our attackers _the furrows deepened_ because __**that**__ would leave the Mizukage short one protector._

As the rosy-haired warrior braced herself for another attack, she made a firm resolution within herself. _When this is over_ a sinister grin slid over her lips _that senbon-thrower has __**years **__of torture to look forward to_.

Her pleasant daydream involving the bloodied form of a certain nin, however, was soon shattered.

_**"You do realize that in order for **_**that ****_to happen, you first have to get out of _this_ self- inflicted mess." _**An irritated huff resounded within the confines of her mind._** "You," **_the voice drawled dryly,**_ "have the most singular capacity for getting into ridiculously dangerous situations." _**

It would **_fucking_** figure that that damnable spirit would choose _this_ particular momentto wake up.

The aggravating soul was usually a lethargic being, more closely resembling a sloth than a dragon. But, _luckily_ for her, she piqued the thing's interest enough that it had deemed her worthy of its time and attention. And so, the spirit renowned for its inclination towards inactivity, had formed the habit of relentlessy belittling her at the slightest opportunity.

He always adamantly claimed that it was only _friendly _teasing. The malicious grin and the pleasure always apparent in his features when he was ridiculing her, however, led her to believe otherwise.

_Now _she growled _is **not **the time for you to be lecturing me, Ryuu. _She grit her teeth in frustration, cursing the stupid dragon spirit's deranged fetish for arguing with her at the _worst_ possible times, in the _worst_ possible places.

_**It's the **_**perfect ****_time _**he snapped._** You should **_**never****_ have allowed yourself to get into this situation in the first place! _**Condescension thickly coated his biting words._** You **_**knew****_ what would happen, you _knew_ the danger you would be putting yourself and your companions in if you came here, yet you did _nothing_ to stop this journey. _**

She felt his rage, and disgust, at her actions. _**You're not the only one in this body you know. **_He coldly reminded her. _**You lapses in judgement affect **_**me **_**as well.**_

As much as she detested admitting it, she knew he was right. She had done virtually nothing to stop the Mizukage from coming to Konoha; the blame sat soley on her shoulders.

_Yes, I **was** negligent in my duties, and I recognize my failure. _She stonily, yet furiously, informed her unwanted roommate._ Your attempts to make me feel guilty, however, are of **no **assistance. _

The dragon, sensing her low reserve of patience, quickly backpedaled.

_**There is no need for you to be so defensive **_he replied soothingly, the sugary tone a clear indication of his insincerity**_. I was merely angry at you for subjecting yourself to such peril. _**He ignored her incredulous scoff. _**After all, we are partners. **_He smiled disarmingly.**_ If you die, so do I. _**

Her glare informed him that his attempt at reconciliation had failed to soften her, failed miserably.

Hoping to appease her, he attempted to apologize. _**You are foolish to get so worked up over something we **_**both**_** know to be true. **_

…in a completely arrogant, completely Ryuu, type of way.

Sakura's glare intensified.

The slightly nervous spirit decided to make a final attempt at pacifying his currently foul tempered host. _**I **_he announced hastily_** have the perfect solution to your problem. **_The statement, with its promise of bettering her situation, succeeded in shifting her full attention to him, causing the egotistical dragon to preen in self-importance.

Just as Ryuu opened his mouth to disclose the remedy to her situation, however, a large explosion to her right sent her crashing against a wall.

The slightly winded kunoichi quickly sprung back up and turned in the direction of the blast, ready for the newest complication in her _absolutely_ **fucktastic **day.

…or so she thought.

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Kakashi calmly sipped from his cup, thoroughly enjoying the smooth texture of the high quality sake. _You can always _he thought with a fond smile _trust the Hokage when it comes to alcohol_.

He lazily swirled the liquor in his glass as he examined the room, viewing with a critical eye the various fighting styles of the different shinobi. A quiet word from the Kazekage, however, soon interrupted his inspection of the room's combatants.

"Itachi and Neji," the red-head disinterestedly announced, "are coming our way".

The leaf nin glanced inquiringly at him.

Gaara understood his nonverbal request. "To the right of the Mist shinobi", he briefly elaborated in explanation.

Kakashi followed the redhead's directions accordingly and soon pinned the location of the duo.

The two shinobi were currently skillfully weaving their way through the masses, effortlessly dodging the obstacles in their way.

He couldn't help but snort when he noticed that the two were executing extremely advanced, extremely unnecessarily difficult, attacks while glancing surreptitiously towards each other.

_What unrepentant show-offs_ he shook his head in amusement. _They never can resist an opportunity to see who's superior_. The corner of his mouth quirked as the viewed them. _I personally don't see the point. Itachi does, after all, __**always**__ win._

Kakashi, having had his fill of watching the battle, was about to return to his sake when, suddenly, he felt an enormous burst of chakra.

Whipping his head in the direction of the surge, he quickly zeroed in on its location.

And had to forcibly stop himself from gaping.

_Sweet kami…_

There before him was dome of pure chakra. The size of the dome was relatively small, but the swirling clouds of chakra that made it up released vast amounts of power, overwhelming the weaker shinobis and sending chills through the rest.

His fixation with the dome was soon broken by the slightly frantic voice of Neji.

"Itachi is _in _there." Though his tone remained calm, the distress in his eyes revealed his extreme concern for his friend.

The Hyuuga's statement caused an immediate reaction in the two seated shinobi. They, along with Neji, rushed to the dome, determined to release their comrade.

_Hang in there Itachi _the silver-haired nin mentally commanded _we're coming. _With a steely glint in his eyes, Kakashi charged the dome.

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Itachi felt himself floating in a vast sea of emptiness; surprisingly, the bleak nature of the sea did not cause him to despair. In fact, it was comforting and relaxing to all his senses.

The sharingan user felt a lazy smile form work itself across his lips. In this place, he felt utterly content; all of life's problems ceased to exist, leaving him carefree for the first time in his life.

_I've finally found it _he thought happily _**this**__ is _**my **_utopia. _

The last thought sent him crashing back into his usual awareness.

A utopia, especially for him, did not exist; if such a place could be found on earth, he would have found it by now.

He shook his head slightly, but firmly, to collect his scattered thoughts. _Where_ he wondered as he more thoroughly took in surroundings _am I?_

The Uchiha's investigation was soon cut short.

_**"Who **_a furious voice growled behing him **_the fuck are you." _**

Itachi's natural reflexes, honed through years of training, took over. He quickly spun around, rapidly settling into his familiar battle stance, ready to face off against the shadowy figure.

Good thing too, for the figure promptly attacked him after finishing his question.

_**"Where the hell," **_the enraged maled demanded**_, "did you get the idea that you could invade my mind?" _**The question was accompanied with a flurry of fury-fueled strikes that kept Itachi on the defensive.

_**"I **_**specialize ****_in mind control," _**the male's wrathful tone held a note of condescension,_** "so your endeavor was damned from the beginning. **_**No one ****_has _ever** _**attempted to breach my minds barriers and," **_he added with a sadistic gleam in his eyes,**_ "you will soon find out why." _**

The young man's voice had become stoic, no trace of emotion decipherable within the tone. Itachi, however, knew better than to be deceived; he did, after all, utilize the same tone every time he experienced unbridled fury.

The Uchiha heir spared one last thought before turning his full attention on the opponent. _What have I stumbled into?_

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**By the way, can anyone tell me why I can't read any of my recent reviews?**

**I know they're there, but every time I click on my reviews I see the same ones.**

**This mystery, or malfunction, is seriously irritating me.**

**So, to those whose reviews I can't read, thank you.**

**Later.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Another chapter completed!**

**WHOOOTWHOOOT!!**

**I'm liking how this is turning out, much better than my first try at it.**

**On a less happy note, however, I still don't know what the _freak_ is going on with my account.**

**Is it normal to not see reviews?**

**I've contacted tech support about it, but so far nothing's worked.**

**Right now I have to post two chapters to see the reviews from one chapter.**

**So, to those who review, I can _see_ that you've left me a review. **

**I just can't _read_ it until I've posted chapters nine and ten. **

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"_We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."_

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Troubled green eyes stared off into the distance, a burdened mind filled with disquiet. _Things_ Kohaku thought worriedly _are getting ugly_.

Despite Kiri's best efforts to maintain peace, the situation in the Mist Isles was rapidly degenerating into volatile chaos.

The attacks, in spite of several measures to minimize them, were steadily increasing in number and occurring with greater frequency.

Daily reports of plundered trading posts and villages flooded the desks of virtually every clan leader, important politician, and, of course, the absent Mizukage.

_Everyone_ was clamoring for help, _everyone_ was demanding the use of Kiri's nins for protection. All favors, all alliances, were being called in with the sole purpose of securing the safety the Mist's shinobi warriors afforded. Their pleas, however, fell on deaf ears.

The Mist was already up to its neck in its own troubles, it could spare _no_ shinobi to aid other people in theirs, Kirigakure was gearing up for war.

…much to the anxiety of one overwhelmed, overstressed, temporary Haruno clan leader.

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Kohaku, with a frustrated sigh, massaged his temples wearily and stared at the growing number of letters accumulating on his desk, his filing cabinets, his shelves-- hell, his _entire_ office!

Every single sheet was filled with pleas from villages for aid, for refuge, for anything that could keep them safe from the Akatsuki and Sound.

The redhead envied their ignorance.

_Help them? _He thought derisively. _We're not even sure if we can help __**ourselves**_. His musings, though pessimistic, had valid roots.

His village was a more than formidable fighting force, true, but undercover Kiri operatives were painting a grim reality for the Mist shinobi.

According to these sources, the monster that was the alliance of Akatsuki and sound was much more of a threat than they had previously thought.

The two forces, collectively, had a seemingly unending supply of devoted followers. Followers that would do anything to ensure the victory of their leaders.

They had also, to make matters worse, managed to establish strong connections to several prominent weapon suppliers. The result? An amassed arsenal of horrific proportions.

Kohaku grit his teeth in aggravation.

_What the __**fuck **__am I suppose to do? _The stressed male gripped his scarlet locks in irritated anger. _We can put up one __**hell **__of a fight and, most likely, severely cripple them for a while, but _pale green eyes darkened in reluctant acceptance _we'd be completely wiped out in the process_.

His conclusion remained the same; no matter how many times he raked his mind for new alternatives, he returned to the same deduction.

The Mist was in dire need of alliances.

This realization, however, presented a whole new set of problems. Kiri residents hated foreigners with such an intensity that any form of compromise was impossible.

So how the _fucking _hell could he expect them to be receptive to making new allies?

Kohaku laid his pounding head on his cool desk. _I know the solution _he thought miserably. _I just don't know how to make it work_.

How do you make a village accept outside help when they've been conditioned for years to believe that anyone not from Kiri sought to cause them harm?

That was the million-dollar question.

_I wish sis was here _a fleeting glint of longing crossed pale green _**she'd**__ know what to do_. His troubled eyes drifted to the window, viewing the bittersweet image the peaceful village presented. _Soon_ he thought darkly _it might all be in flames_.

Kohaku yearned for his sister's return with every fiber of his being. She had always been the leader, the one the clan, and frequently even the village, turned to in troubled times.

_**Her**_, not _him_.

Maybe it was weak of him, but he wasn't sure how much longer he could bear the burden of clan leader, and all the duties it entailed, under the current circumstances.

He wanted his sister _damn it_! She was the strong one, not him!

He wasn't cut out for this.

He had never had to deal with a situation like this by himself, his sister had _always _been there to aid and guide him; he merely had to follow her commands and the situation would soon be resolved.

Sakura's assuring presence was a security blanket for him; letting him know that even if he messed up, she would be there to make sure things turned out all right.

Without that, he felt unbalanced and, irrationally, helpless. Who would be there to fix his mistakes? Who would prevent him from completely screwing up?

There was no one…and that scared the hell out of him.

The village, despite his sister's absence, still expected the Haruno Clan to take charge of the situation; and, though he hated admitting it, he couldn't help but feel overwhelmed and under prepared.

Sakura had always been the tactician in their family; he had simply been a strong wingman for her.

_Oh sis _he though wretchedly _what the __**fuck **__am I suppose to do?_

With troubled thoughts running through his mind, Kohaku let his head fall unceremoniously onto his cluttered desk, _**needing**_ a moment of respite, however brief, from everything.

It was at this time that Zabuza, a member of the Mist's legendary swordsmen, announced his presence to the drained clan leader.

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Itachi was, for the first time in his life, unsure of how to proceed in his current situation.

His opponent was relentless in his attack, affording him no chance to go on the offensive. So he could not land a hit, much less use his sharingan on the man.

The best he could do was dodge and keep a close eye on his enemy, waiting for the male to make the slightest blunder.

The man's ceaseless assault was problematic enough on its own, but it was not his only hindrance. The landscape, the fucking _weather_ itself, was being devoutly obedient to his attacker.

So, as if physical blows were not enough, he also found himself dodging small tornadoes, abruptly appearing canyons, boulders, and -his personal favorite- lightening bolts at every turn.

Planning an assault was currently laughable given his circumstances.

His present disadvantages in combat were not what was weighing most heavily on his mind, however. The truly disgruntling aspect of the whole thing for him had to be that he was truly ignorant of what he had done to provoke the attack.

And, unfortunately for him, his current opponent didn't seem inclined to answer any of his questions at the moment.

All he could do was try to stay in one piece and hope those idiots he called friends came soon.

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_What the __**hell**__ is going on?! _

Sakura was in _**no**_ mood to deal with any more unpleasant surprises, but there before her, lo and behold, was what appeared to be a bubble of pure chakra.

As if that fact were not unsettling enough, the chakra was behaving in an almost…_sentient_ manner. It genially stroked her as she drew near, emitting a sense of contentment…weirding the _hell_ out of her.

_Am I_ she though incredulously as she felt the thing's caresses _being __**molested**__? _Well, this was certainly a first; molestation by an inhuman thing, yipp_fucking_ee for her.

After guardedly studying the thing for a few seconds, however, she realized that the chakra showed utterly no intent to attack her, or anyone for that matter.

That, she decided, was a definite plus.

A quick glance at her surroundings revealed another, more significant, bonus; the fighting had stopped.

Apparently the blast, and the resulting chakra dome, had captured the attention of everyone present. Not that she blamed them, she herself found the thing fascinating. All in all, she determined with relief, things were looking up.

She should have known her current peace wouldn't last long.

"Sakura," a harried looking Ichigo materialized by her side, "where is Kotetsu?" The panicky undertone to his inquiry quickly ripped her attention away from the dome…to the worried features of her teammate.

_I'm really _she thought venomously _starting to __**hate**__ Murphy's Law_. With that in mind, she made her calm response.

_**"What the fuck," **_she snarled,**_ "do you mean 'where is Kotetsu'?" _**

Hmm…ok, maybe _not _so calm.

Sakura clenched her teeth in wrathful vexation. Her tolerance for others -for the _world_ in general- was wearing thin, and the disappearance of one of her teammates was **not** helping matters any.

Ichigo unfazed by her anger, well accustomed to her bouts of fury, instantly responded. "I mean exactly that," confusion mixed with the worry in his eyes. "One minute he was here beside me, and the next thing I know he vanishes!" His gaze turned inward as he relayed the memory. "Right after that blast," he added as an afterthought.

A sort of jaded resignation overtook Sakura's features as she listened to Ichigo's account, a theory about her missing teammate's whereabouts already forming in her mind.

She turned back to the chakra, still maintaining a small flame of hope that she was mistaken. So, dredging up every ounce of optimism she possessed, she offered up a quick plea to any deity who might be listening. _Let me be wrong. Kami, just __**once**__ let my suspicions be wrong._

"He disappeared right after the blast, Ichigo?" She pinned her companion with a hard stare. "You're _absolutely_ sure it was after the blast?" Though she kept a calm appearance, inside she was hoping against hope for him to answer no.

Kisame, who had been listening to the conversation, confirmed Ichigo's words. "It's true Pinky," he said with a solemn gaze, "Kotetsu disappeared immediately after the blast happened."

Sakura resigned herself to the reality that was her life; everything bad that _could _happen to her _would. _

Still, a persistent wisp of hope remained, refusing to let her really accept the situation until she was presented with irrefutable proof.

Intent on securing that proof, but ardently hoping she didn't, she headed towards the dome with her companions close behind. They were all still tensed for battle, not willing to let down their guard despite the lull in action.

After a few brief moments, they reached their destination. With a seed of hope still in her, she extended her left arm towards the dome, tentively reaching out to it with a tendril of her chakra.

She rapidly received her proof.

_**Damn it all to HELL**__. _All hope instantly fled her system.

She had been right, Kotetsu was in the dome.

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**Hope ya'll enjoyed the chapter.**

**Later.**


	9. Chapter 9

**This is the FINAL chapter on my revision list!**

**FREAK YEAH!!**

**Since there only seem to be three Mist Swordsmen who have been identified, I've decided to just make some of the cooler shinobi in Naruto part of the swordsmen.**

**Expect an update on this fic in the near future.**

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Somewhere in the swirling mists of the Land of Water, a convention of missing nin was taking place.

It's objective?

The destruction of a certain clan in Kirigakure, the Haruno Clan.

The site of the convention was an elegant manor, no doubt the former residence of a lord or a high government official. The previous, unfortunate, owners were no longer among the living.

It was in the lavishly furnished great hall of this estate that several shinobi, with ruthless visages, sat convened around a large, beautifully detailed table.

At the head of this table sat a figure whose mere presence was enough to proclaim him the undisputed leader of the group. His aura all but smothered the room's occupants with it's intensity, serving as a subtle threat to all those foolish enough to think they could oppose him.

In addition to this figure there were six others seated, six whose names only brave, or foolhardy, souls dared whisper even under the safety of daylight.

Deidara, the missing nin from Iwagakure, notorious for both his beautiful clay sculptures and his habit of blowing them up in the most destructive ways possible. His handsome features captivated many, leaving them vulnerable to the twisted soul that lurked beneath. His easy smile, which had lulled more than one unfortunate being into a false sense of security, really bloomed into an expression of malicious merriment when causing extreme devastation.

Tobi, a nin of mysterious origins, whose powerful flame jutsus and adept mimicry of an opponent's attacks led many to believe him an estranged member of Konoha's Uchiha Clan. The fact that Obito Uchiha disappeared around the same time that Tobi came into the public focus further served to cement the suspicions of the general populace.

Zetsu, a native of Kusagakure, part man, part Venus flytrap whose diet made even his battle hardened companions cringe. This nin took bipolar to a new level. His entire body was split into two individuals, his black side more neurotic than his slightly saner white side. Zetsu's dual personality made him unpredictable in battle and his ability to utilize the cover of the ground, as well as his frightening visage, made all who came across him think twice before attacking.

Hidan, a man who refused to call any place home, known for his zealous devotion to Jaganshi, a sadistic god who demanded frequent sacrifices in the bloodiest ways possible. His love for pain, either his or another's, made such sacrifices a nonissue. His immortality and his ability to change into a living breathing "grim reaper" insured that any who went against him wouldn't live to regret it.

Kakuzo, a former nin of Takigakure, whose unending thirst for money gained him the title of treasurer in the organization. His affinity for storing extra organs on his person, and his talent for sewing limbs back on and closing injuries, contributed to making him the longest lived person among his peers. Anyone who challenged this patchwork of body parts would have to destroy all his existing hearts for him to truly die. To date, no one had managed to even severely damage one.

Sasori, a traitor of Sunagakure, was an expert in the art of puppetry; in fact, puppetry was such a passion for that he had, over time, converted his own body into one. His utilization of multiple puppets in combat situations rendered him able to outnumber his enemies with ease. This, in addition to his tactical mind and powerful jutsus, made any encounter with him potentially lethal.

These shinobi made up the high council of the most infamous criminal organization. An organization that consisted mainly of S-Class nin, nin that more often than not held a prominent spot in the Bingo book of every shinobi village.

They were the Akatsuki.

A slight inclination of the leader's head and the meeting of these cutthroat nins began.

"Has the latest shipment arrived yet, Tobi?" The voice, rippling with the power of it's speaker, swept throughout the room effectively stilling the minute movements of the room's occupants.

Tobi, with a pleased smile, answered cheerfully. "Yes Leader-sama. Not only did it arrive early, but the supplier _doubled _our order."

"Threatening to castrate him apparently did wonders to ensure his cooperation." The statement, accompanied by Kakuzo's smug smirk, clarified the situation to the others.

"You couldn't resist could you, un." Deidara's admonishment was ruined by his amused grin.

"Of course not," he replied. "People tend to be more accommodating when in physical danger."

Leader held a hand up for silence before shifting his piercing gaze to Kakuzo. "You did well."

The addressed individual slightly inclined his head towards his leader in response.

"Now," Leader leaned back in his chair and leveled an irritated gaze on the council, "it's come to my attention that Kirigakure has become aware of our planned attack." His eyes narrowed dangerously. "I'd like to know _how _this is possible when I _continuously_ stressed the importance of secrecy."

The members, regarded by many as fearsome warriors, squirmed uncomfortably under his intense displeasure.

They were saved from responding by the arrival of a Sound messenger.

"Leader-sama," the panting man wheezed, " my lord sends urgent news." He held out a missive with the stamp of the Sound village's leader. "It's in regards to the Haruno Clan leader."

The Akatsuki head immediately reached for it, eyebrows furrowed in thought. _That idiot wouldn't bother me unless it was important. _The furrows deepened._ I have a feeling I'm not going to like this. _With a sense of foreboding, he opened the scroll.

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_Pein, I'm not going to bother with pleasantries. Two days ago one of my scouts spotted Sakura Haruno and her usual team escorting the Mizukage past the borders of Water Country. They appeared to be heading to Konoha, but my sources have yet to confirm it. I'm sure I don't need to tell you the consequences if Kirigakure decides to align with the Leaf. It would call for major changes- _

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The letter went on for several more paragraphs, but Leader had long stopped reading.

He crumpled the paper in his clenched fists.

This was bad news.

_Very_ bad news.

Even if Kirigakure didn't join forces with the others, his objective had just become significantly more difficult. Either way the Mist would still be fighting on the same side as the others, especially since they hadn't bothered to hide their terrorist activities from Konoha.

They hadn't bothered because they'd never thought Kirigakure would make any type of contact with the village they _despised_.

Their organization had counted on the bad blood between the two villages to keep their actions secret. A move that had apparently failed miserably.

_Things _he thought moodily_ have just become more complicated. _He turned cold eyes to the council.

"Deidara, Zetsu, commence preparations for a stealth attack on Konoha; use the attack as your cover to enter the village. I want a full report detailing any and all alliances the Mist has or will form in two weeks time."

The two named nin gave a curt nod in Pein's direction before disappearing in twin poofs of smoke.

"The rest of you," hard eyes regarded the group of shinobi before him, "will step up our operations in the lands surrounding Kirigakure." The powerful red-head turned his back to the group in a subtle show of condescension. "You're dismissed."

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_Well __**this**__ is just fucking great_. Sakura approached the dome cautiously.

_What the _**hell**_am I suppose to do?_

While the chakra surrounding her teammate wasn't attacking her, it also wasn't letting her get too close. A pretty sucky situation all around.

Deciding to risk one more step forward, she grit her teeth in anticipation of the pain. _Kotetsu_ flaming emerald eyes glowered _you are __**so**__ going to owe me for this_. She stopped midstep, however, when the prone body of Sasuke Uchiha went flying past her.

_What the hell…_

Her confusion was interrupted by the arrival of one seriously pissed off Kakashi Hayate.

_**"**_**What ****_did you do to Itachi?" _**He snarled, glaring at her with furious onyx eyes. _**"If you don't get him out of there in - "**_

The rosy haired kunoichi cut him off impatiently. "_I_ didn't do _anything _to that bastard," she replied curtly, shoving him aside on her way towards the dome. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a teammate to save."

_**"No," **_he coldly replied, intercepting her yet again, **_"I _won't_ excuse you. You _did_ do something," _**he mercilessly held her upper arms in a bruising grip, _**"your **_**fucking ****_symbol was on his body!"_**

Sakura was mildly intrigued by the little tidbit of information. That intrigue, however, didn't abate her irritation in the slightest.

"So your buddy got a new tattoo," she said dismissively. "I don't see how that's any of my concern." She delivered a seemingly careless blow to his gut. "Oops," Sakura's sweet tone contradicted her nasty smirk, "didn't see you there."

Neji bristled at her treatment of Kakashi.

"Hey!" he roughly grabbed her arm, effectively stopping her, "You have _no_ right - "

Sakura had had enough. _**"Look," **_she snapped, fiercely yanking her arm out of the Hyuuga's grasp, _**"**_**I have absolutely **_**no**_** interest in the well being of you or any of your **_**little**_** friends. I will, however, castrate all of you if you don't **_**fucking**_** get out of my way."**

And with that, she turned and continued on her way, leaving a stunned, and infuriated, group of Konoha shinobi behind her.

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**Moments earlier…..**

The Konoha shinobi reached the dome within seconds, immediately sensing the power emitting from the swirling masses of chakra.

Closer inspection, when attempted, proved painful; as the impromptu flight of an off guard Sasuke attested.

"Any ideas," the copy nin questioned dryly.

"Nothing comes to mind at the moment," was the Hyuuga's equally dry response.

They had reason to be stumped. The dome had no apparent entrance, no weak point, heck the thing was a fucking _fortress_.

Further pondering over the dilemma, however, was halted by the sudden transparency of a section of the dome.

"Is that…," Gaara looked on with disbelieving eyes.

Itachi, the pride of the Uchiha clan, the star shinobi of the leaf, the epitome of perfection, was badly injured and fleeing.

The Kazekage had reason to be surprised.

Kakashi was the first to overcome his shock. He sprinted closer to the dome, ignoring the ripples of pain the nearness caused him. _What the fuck _he wondered _is going on Itachi? _

As the Hayate peered more carefully at his bloodied friend, **fury** quickly filled him.

_**"Those fuckers," **_he hissed, **_"those damn mist fuckers!"_**

His reason for blaming the Mist?

The Kirigakure symbol carved on Itachi's back.

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**Where we left off…..**

Still steaming over her earlier encounter with the Konoha fags, she sensed her team catch up with her.

"Was that really necessary Sakura?" Her leader's dry inquiry made her feel a _little _ashamed at her behavior.

"They were in my way," she muttered, turning to hide her guilty features.

The amused faces of the rest of her team assured that this incident would reach the ears of _all _of Kirigakure once they returned.

"You sure have a way with men Pinky," Kisame chortled.

A glare was his only response.

_Idiots, all of them._ She closed her eyes and once again reached out with her chakra. Searching for even the slightest kink in the thing, searching for _anything_ she could turn into an opening.

_There?…no…there?…chakra's too volatile…there?…no…wait…maybe…YES!_

She'd finally found the fucking thing.

_Finally_ she thought cheerily _**something's**__ going my way._ Unfortunately for the Mist kunoichi, appearances can be deceiving.

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**I can finally update this thing!**

**Thanks to the readers of this for being so patient during my revision period.**

**Later.**


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